P: Ability to delete multiple paths

[jjwithers]

Why can't you delete more than one path at a time? You can do this with Channels and layers... the path palette hasn't changed in ages.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

And I want to be able to make groups in paths and alpha channels!
and a scroll in path.

[s_mahn]

Should also be able to delete Paths via the Save dialog, like we can for Alpha Channels and Layers.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

An excellent point Joshua. Many versions ago, Photoshop allowed multiple path deletion and other very useful operations like combining paths by simply 'dragging' their icons in Path Palate on top of each other etc...

I agree, Adobe should look into this.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Photoshop has never supported multiple path selection, and thus couldn't support multiple path deletion. I think you're thinking of another application.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Chris, thank you for your response.

You are correct. I got so much used to the the option of selecting multiple items on Layer and Channel palates, I for a moment 'blended' my recollection with the reality.

I have been a professional Photoshop user since 2.0 (1991) and some of my memories are easily fogged by the number of tremendous improvements that happened to this program since that single layer program.

Yes, that is correct, there was no multiple Path deletion option in previous versions, however - for several releases there was certain flexibility in Paths operations that did not carry to the latest versions.

- paths could be simply combined by dragging their icons on top of each other

- parts of a path could be transformed from one Path to another the same way

- and I believe to create a new path in a path palate - Working Path could be dragged from the Work area directly onto the Paths palate..

There was more, but I can't remember now. I recall I was displeased that the consequent version discontinued this great flexibility and there was virtually no way to communicate the frustration. Then we did not have such a great way to communicate with the Adobe Photoshop developers team as we thankfully have today.

I am sorry for confusing the readers here and thanks to Chris for correcting me. I appreciate your feedback.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Sorry it was just a correction, but I was trying to figure out if this was really lost functionality or not. As it is, just selecting multiple paths at a time will require a lot of changes to the application code.

[jjwithers]

Chris, are you saying this is too hard for Adobe to accomplish? I've seen you guys pull off bigger tasks over the years. 😉 Seriously though, everybody in the prepress industry would THANK you for adding this functionality. Dragging 20+ paths to the trash one at a time isn't fun. It really kills productivity.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Where did I say it was too hard?

[jjwithers]

; ) To me, somebody at adobe saying that it requires a lot of changes to the application code sounds like a difficult task. That is why i Photoshop for a living! it is much easier! haha...

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

This is a great idea!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

"a lot of changes" == it'll take me more than an hour. 🙂

[jjwithers]

Coincidentally i ran into an example today of why this feature would be very useful. I had to delete all these paths one by one....
See the image:

Image is not available

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

This may help just a tiny bit - it is the fastest way to delete multiple paths I was able to come up with:

You are gonna need two hands to do this.

I highlight the top most path in Paths Palate and keep my mouse in that exact position. Then using my other hand, I hit 'delete' on my keyboard.

As the top most path is deleted the rest of paths 'move up', so the next path appears right where I left my mouse. So without needing to repositioning my mouse again, I simply click and hit delete, click - delete, click - delete ....

It's quick, give it a try 😉

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I think David Jensen should chime in with a fabulous script to do this elegantly. David? Is this possible?

[jjwithers]

please... no scripts.. those are just band-aids.... we need it implemented into the application.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

agreed

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Thank you for the example. That makes it much easier to explain to managers.

[Yelnats1]

Many of Photoshop's "built-in" features are scripts... even a couple of features not in the scripts menu.

You can't change the GUI of an existing panel with a script.. Deleting all paths is trivial, though. And a modal dialog that lets you select a bunch of paths at once is possible, too.

Seems like some are worried that Adobe will will delay surgery if I provide a band-aid. 😛

[Paul Riggott]

It's only a one line script:-
activeDocument.pathItems.removeAll();

[s_mahn]

I'd love a band-aid, if you'd be so kind.

[Mama Shan]

I think a delete all paths item would be great, too but a work-around that I have often used is to do a Select-All, then Edit Copy Merged, then create a NEW Document which will automatically have the same size and resolution of the original. Then do an Edit Past into the new document, Flatten and you're ready to print or send off minus all the paths and/or Alpha Channels.

[Mama Shan]

I think merging of paths by dragging or alt/option dragging (to make a copy) onto another path is also a great idea to circumvent the Copy & Paste Path methods that have always been available.

[s_mahn]

And then rename it. It's far more work than should be required after all these years. I still don't get why paths aren't an option like Layers and Alphas in the Save As dialog.

[Mama Shan]

Ah, just make a little Action for yourself and it'll give you a path free document in the blink of an eye---and it won't hurt so bad 🙂 --- but I still do agree that it should be an option in the Paths Panel!

[iMattK]

Hi There-
There's a script to delete all paths at once.

You can find it here!